Poll: Washington Affects Economic Outlook

Obama Job Approval Strong, but Partisan Battles Are Zapping Confidence About Future Prospects Among Those Surveyed

By

Janet Hook

Updated Jan. 17, 2013 8:03 p.m. ET

Days before his inauguration to a second term, President Barack Obama is in a strong political position, but leads a country riddled with pessimism about the economy and his ability to improve it, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.

Americans see some signs of improvement in the economy but are mostly downbeat about the next four years and about their own financial prospects, a grim contrast to the buoyant mood of...